The Assistant
by EvanescentBeauty
Summary: ON HIATUS. Xathia Swamps has finally snagged a job as Randall Boggs' assistant and feels a comfortable connection to him since they are both reptilemonsters, but it turns out that she and Randall have more in common then either of them realize...
1. Arrival

**A/N:** Okay, here's the **REAL** summary...

_Ever since she little, Xathia Swamps wanted to work at Monsters, Inc. But since she was a reptilian monster, she was a lonely outsider, and no one believed in her...but now she's finally snagged a job as Randall Bogg's assistant, and feels a comfortable connection to him since they are both reptile-monsters, **but it turns out that she and Randall have more in common then either of them realize...**  
_

Sound interesting? I hope you guys like it...this is my first Monsters, Inc. fan fiction, so please rate and review!! Okay, you don't have to rate, but I LOVE getting reviews...even a quick note on what you thought is GREATLY appreciated. Oh, and _by the way_, **the title of this FF is subject to change!!!! I'm TERRIBLE at choosing titles on short notice...heh heh...and also, Xathia's name is pronounced ZAY-thee-uh.**

And so begins the tale of Xathia Swamps...who knows where she'll end up! **_DIG IN!_**

* * *

Dark storm clouds filled the sky over Monstropolis, blocking out the usual morning of a golden sun and its background of baby blue sky. There was a soft rumble of thunder far off in the distance, as a light rain slipped through the clouds and whispered down in thin sheets. The small raindrops clinked softly against the drainpipes and hit the concrete road with a numb patter. But even on a dreary morning like this, there was one monster who was not to be discouraged. As most monsters were waking up groggily, stretching their tight muscles, rubbing sleep from their eyes, and groaning at the miserable weather, Xathia Swamps jumped out of bed, giddy with excitement, not giving a care in the world whether there was a bright morning or a hurricane outside. 

The reptilian monster hurried through her small bedroom door and into her even smaller kitchen, where she devoured a quick breakfast before snatching her bag and umbrella from the chair by the door, and tearing out the door of her small apartment.

Though she denied it herself, Xathia was a beautiful monster...she had scales of a deep wine-red, and eyes of the most breathtaking shade of emerald; the plume-like tentacles on her head were tinged with a bright ruby.

Calling over a taxi that was driving by slowly, she shivered in the cold and wrapped a jacket around her scaly arms tightly, before stowing her bag and umbrella in the seat next to her.

"Monsters Incorporated, please," she said clearly and confidently. And with that, she took off for her first day of work at Monsters, Incorporated.

So many thoughts filled her head, and her stomach squirmed anxiously. She didn't know anybody at Monsters, Inc..._in fact, _she thought nervously. _I hardly even remember the building! _She said 'hardly' because when she was in 4th grade, her science class had taken a trip to Monsters, Inc. to learn how Scream (the energy source in Monstropolis) was collected. Ever since that trip, she had made up her mind that she would one day work for this brilliant company...she would be a Scarer, or a Scarer's assistant, even...she didn't care. If there was any way she could make her way up to being a Scarer, even if she had to start off as a janitor, or a Door-Shredder, she would do it. But fortunately for her, she had been accepted as an assistant for a monster named Randall Boggs. She hadn't met Randall yet, and she was very nervous, wondering what he would think of her.

As a lizard-monster like herself, she was hardly ever considered for serious jobs...which was complete rubbish, because not only was she a hard worker, but she usually cared about her work, and made sure she did it right. She didn't know which other idiotic reptile-monster had set this stereotype, but she was disgusted at how easily managers turned down monsters like her. But Waternoose seemed like a good manager; happy to take on a lizard-monster.

Suddenly, the car gave a little screech, and pulled to a stop. Xathia looked up, surprised...were they there already? _No, _she sighed, relieved. It was just a stoplight. She shivered again.

"Could you please turn on the heat?" she asked the driver.

"No can do, sweetie," he said roughly. "This car ain't had heat in over a month."

Xathia sighed. Well, it wouldn't be that much longer to Monsters, Inc, anyway; and they would certainly have heating.

As a child, Xathia was an outcast. She had no friends, and other monsters never talked to her. She was bullied almost constantly by incessant fools who thought they were better than she was. _Well, _she thought dejectedly. _They probably were. Erg...don't talk like that! Not now...please not now...those memories will only upset you! _But Xathia couldn't help herself. _Those days are long gone..._she hissed to herself. _They're _over. _OVER. Look at you now! You're an assistant at Monsters, Inc! Who cares where those other jerks are now? _Xathia let out a sigh. She told herself these things everyday since she got the job offer. But no matter what, it never seemed to help.

**FLASHBACK.**

"Where ya goin' Xylophone??"

"Yah, _XYLOPHONE!!!"_

"Going off to hide off in your _cave_?"

Xathia ignored the sneering taunts of the other children as she clutched her sack lunch tighter and turned a corner, slipping eerily into the shadows of a corner of the building. She held back a sad sigh...she had been putting up with this for almost four years...why did it still make her sad? She put the sack down and lowered down onto all eights. She turned in a circle and nestled down in a comfortable position, resting her head on the cold stone floor and curling her arms under her chest. She didn't even bother eating...she had lost her appetite. _Again, _she couldn't help adding silently to herself.

She didn't mind the teasing so much anymore; they did it so much now it was almost comical. Couldn't they get some new material? But it was the name...that awful, disgusting, insulting name that made her temper rise. _Xylophone. _Just because her name began with an 'X' the bullies thought it would be funny to come up with a nickname for her. But they couldn't think of anything else that people didn't have to look up in the dictionary to understand, so they settled on "Xylophone". It didn't even make sense. In fact, Xathia couldn't even figure out why it was insulting in the first place, but it still hurt, for reasons even Xathia herself couldn't explain. As for where she ate her lunch, that's what they referred to as "her cave". But at least they were too busy to seek her out here...

"Oy, Xylophone!!"

Or so she thought.

She jumped up abruptly, twisting her ankle. She looked up to see Jerry, the biggest bully in the school leering down at her, his two buddies Bramble and Nathan behind him. Xathia's stomach filled with fear as she imagined all of the horrible things they could do to her here, especially with no teachers around, not that they would be of any assistance now or ever. She knew that all bullies, especially Jerry were cowards, but that didn't stop their punches from hurting.

She recoiled slightly at their presence.

"What are you doing here?" she growled.

"I was about to ask you the same question, Xylophone!" he sneered. "You got yerself a little playground down here, don'cha?"

"Just leave me alone," grumbled Xathia, turning to leave, but Nathan grabbed her shoulder and twisted her around. Infuriated suddenly and unexpectedly, Xathia bared her knife-sharp teeth and bit down on his fingers...hard. He yelped in pain. Jerry grabbed her by the throat and threw her into the ground.

"Hey, Xylophone!" he jeered. She looked up at him through squinted eyes, massaging her throat.

"Say cheese!" he shrieked happily. She saw a purple fist flying towards her face, before darkness.

**END FLASHBACK**

"Oy!"

Xathia was shaken from her trance as she heard the taxi driver's voice calling out to her. She gave her head a little shake and looked over at him.

"Yes?" she replied, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"Monsta's Inc, right?" he asked her.

"Yes," she said back hesitantly.

"We're here!" he said. She gulped as she peered out the window. A huge building stood in front of her. There it was. The place she had dreamed about since she was a little monster...and on the front of the building was a huge sign that said,

**"Monsters, Inc."**


	2. Introductions & New Beginnings

**A/N:** Yay! Next chapter is UP!! This is a big chapter in terms of Xathia, because she meets Randall, along with some other familiar faces (winkwink) and gets acquainted with the Scare Floor.By the way, I am pretty much focusing on this story right now, so for you fans OF this story, you're in luck...

Enjoy!

* * *

Xathia looked up at the sign again, and took a deep breath, the butterflies in her stomach flitting around like crazy.

"Hey, are you gonna get out, or not?" asked the driver, annoyed.

"Yes, sorry," muttered Xathia, grabbing her things and stepping out slowly. She barely heard the taxi driving away behind her. Her mind had gone blank...she was here...she was finally here! She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was finally going to be working at the place she had dreamed about since she was a little monster, at a school where she wasn't loved...ever. She was going to drink in every detail of this moment...every memory she gained here would stay with her until the day she died. She shifted her bag on her shoulder and walked up the steps to the large building. She held out her hand and her fingers grazed the gold handles on the doors as smooth as glass. She felt a sudden surge of energy coursing through her veins, forcing her to pull open the door and slip inside.

The lobby was huge. An ornate tiled map of the world spread across the ceiling and a large desk sat in the back. The large "M" eye logo was everywhere...the logo she'd seen when she was 10 years old...Monsters strutted across the room...some looking peaceful and content, others looking stressed and rushed. _Just a few of the many emotions being a Scarer brings, _Xathia thought.

Just when she thought she would burst with happiness, an odd crab like monster scuttled through a door and into the lobby. She recognized him with a moment's hesitation.

"Mr. Waternoose!" she called, waving her maroon hand in the air. He turned around and rested his eyes on her. It took a minute for him to recognize her, but it wasn't long before his eyes brightened with realization.

"Xathia!" he called back, scuttling over to her. "How are you?"

"I'm doing fine, sir," she replied back with a smile. "Ready to start my first day!"

"I'm glad to see you're here early," he said. "You need to find Randall, right?"

"Yes, sir," she said, nodding her head. She was anxious to meet him...how would he react to having a reptilian monster as an assistant?

"Right this way, then," said Waternoose, gesturing for her to follow him. She hurried after him, trying to take in every bit of the building as she went so she wouldn't get lost. As they exited the lobby, Xathia hurried up beside him.

"So...where do I go?" she panted, mostly from excitement.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you everything. You'll become familiar with this place eventually."

Xathia nodded as they continued on down the hall.

"Your Scarer is Randall," began Waternoose. "Everyday you'll come to the locker room to get your hardhat, and any other supplies you may need. Then, as you are the assistant, you go over to Roz's desk. She's the secretary there. She'll give you all your card keys for the day, and you'll then procede to Scare Floor F, which is where Randall's station is."

Xathia drank in every word with eager appreciation. _Scare Floor F...Roz...card keys...this is so confusing!! _Xathia thought, horrified. She'd never remember it all!

"But don't worry," said Waternoose, as if reading her thoughts, as they were passing the locker rooms. "Randall will help you with everything. Oh, there he is now!"

Xathia's stomach leaped. Randall? Here? NOW?!? She wasn't prepared!! Waternoose gestured towards the door to the men's locker room, where the door opened and a monster stepped out. Xathia gasped...she couldn't believe her eyes.

Randall was a lizard-monster too.

He had rich, purple scales and breathtaking emerald eyes. _(oh, by the way guys, I know I already used the word "breathtaking" to describe Xathia's eyes...but he really does have purty eyes...heh heh) _His plumes were tipped with pink; in fact, he looked almost exactly like her!

"Randall," said Waternoose. "This is Xathia Swamps. She'll be your new assistant."

Randall narrowed his eyes.

"I expect you to show her around the building and teach her the ropes. Now, I'll leave you two to get acquainted," said Waternoose, scuttling away.

There was dead silence between them. Xathia was still shocked that Randall was just like her. She was scared that he would treat her with disdain because she was a lizard-monster...only to find out he was just like her!

"You...uh...you're--" stuttered Xathia.

"Yea, I didn't expect it, either," growled Randall, folding his arms. Xathia shut her mouth...she couldn't think of anything to say. After a few minutes silence, Randall groaned and slithered the other way. Xathia didn't know what his problem was, but she didn't want to annoy him on her first day, so she just followed. _Like a good assistant, _she added silently.

She had to admit that the few minutes walking to the Scare Floor were very uncomfortable. Randall had only said 5 words to her, and she felt extremely out of place in such a high-profile position...a position some monsters could only dream about. Did Randall really find her so repulsive? Just a pebble in his shoe? Maybe being an assistant wasn't such a nice job anyway..._Oh, stop it, _she hissed silently. _You're just being selfish! Do you know many monsters want this job? _

"Alright," snarled Randall, breaking her from her thoughts. "This is Roz's desk." Xathia looked up and saw a snail-like female monster sitting at a desk sorting papers.

"You go up to her every morning, and she'll give you the card keys for the day."

"Okay," Xathia replied quickly.

"And then you--"

"New assistant?"

Xathia turned around to see a small green monster with one eye and two tiny horns strutting over to them, a blue and purple spotted monster twice his size at his side.

"What's it to you, Wazowski?" growled Randall.

"She looks just like you, Randy!" the green monster observed gleefully.

"Don't call me Randy!" spat Randall, clenching his fists.

"Is she your relative? Shocking how another lizard-monster got in so easily..."

"She is _not _my relative!" cried Randall, anger flaring in his emerald eyes.

"Whatever you say, Randy," the monster said, waving his hand in the air, as he continued on towards the Scare Floor. Randall was shaking with anger when he stuck out his foot, sending the green monster sprawling out on the ground.

"Ooh..." Xathia whispered under her breath. He hadn't exactly hit the ground like a feather.

Randall gave a little chuckle and stepped over the monster.

"Now, go get the card keys. I have to go get ready," he said quietly to Xathia. "Oh, my station's the 6th one down," he finished, slithering away around the corner and out of sight. Xathia gulped. She didn't know what it was, but the way he had chuckled like that...it sounded so evil, so spiteful. Like he enjoyed seeing the little monster in pain. It turned her blood cold. Her perspective of Randall, so positive before now, was slowly starting to change.

She shook the thoughts from her head, and grabbed the arm of the monster, pulling him up. He brushed himself off and gave her a little nod of appreciation.

"Thanks," he said with a small laugh.

"No problem," she replied with a smiled. She held out her hand. "Xathia Swamps." He looked at it hesitantly, then took it.

"Mike Wazowski," he said. "And this is my Scarer, roommate and best buddy, Sulley." The blue and purple monster shook her hand. "Hi," he said.

"So what happened back there?" she asked. She wanted to ask something like 'Why were you so mean to Randall?', but there were rude comments off of both sides. Mike took a breath, frowing, looking ready to make another spiteful comment about Randall, but Sulley cut him off.

"Nothing," he sighed. "Just a little argument...we've never really liked each other."

"I'll say!" snapped Mike, his hands on his hips. "That jerk's never been anything but--"

"Hey!" cried Sulley. "You're saying this in front of his assistant! And you weren't too nice to him either."

"Yeah, well..." Mike growled grudgingly.

"Well," said Sulley, smiling at Xathia. "I don't want our disagreement with Randall to get in the way of anything. You seem nice."

"Yeah, and I'm sorry about what I said about you being Randall's relative," admitted Mike, embarrassed. "It was an insult aimed at him, I swear..."

"Thanks," said Xathia. "Well, I gotta go." She waved goodbye and slithered up to Roz's desk.

"H-hello," she said uncomfortably. "I need the day's paperwork for Randall Boggs, please." Roz narrowed her eyes at her, then burrowed around in her drawers. She emerged with several multicolored folders, brimming with paperwork, in her hand. Xathia reached for them expectantly, but the slug-monster just leered at her through small glasses.

"Who are you, again?" she asked in a raspy voice.

"Um, I'm Randall Boggs' new assistant. My name is Xathia Swamps," she said carefully.

"Right," said Roz slowly, handing over the paperwork. "This needs to be filled out and filed at the end of the day. _No exceptions."_

"Okay," said Xathia quickly. The secretary scared her. She hurried away down the Scare Floor, counting the stations as she went. _1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6! _She admired every detail of the station. The rubber braces that held up the door, the buttoned panel to slide the key card. _Amazing, _she thought to herself. _Absolutely incredible. _

She looked over and was pleased to see that Mike was standing at the next station.

"You work there?" she asked.

"Oh, hey!" he said, waving. "Yeah, we work here." He walked over to her and leaned in close. "Here's what you do. Take the first key card out of the folders," he said, gesturing to her paperwork. She opened one of the folders to reveal some forms on the left, and on the right, a key card and a picture of a small human girl, no more than 2 years of age.

"Swipe the keycard," Mike continued quietly. "And wait till the door comes. The station will brace the door for you, and you'll know when it's working when the dot on the top of the door glows red. Then, just wait until the Scare Floor manager announces the Scarers are coming, and stand next to the door, and wait for your Scarer, in your case Randall, to join you at the station. Help them get ready, and the Scarers will pretty much take it from there. Just make sure you change out the Scream canister when one is full."

"Wow," breathed Xathia, swiping the key card, and admiring the door as it slid gracefully out of the door tube and aligned itself over her station. "That's a lot to remember."

"Just swipe the key, and wait for the Scarers," said Mike, summing up his entire speech in one sentance. "But make sure you do it right," he added, chuckling. Xathia smiled, putting on her hardhat. She watched in awe as the red dot on the door gleamed red. She took a deep breath. This was the start of a new beginning for her. She was officially an assistant.

"Northern seaboard, coming online!" shouted a voice. She turned her head and saw the Scare Manager yelling over the intercom. "We got Scarers comin' out!"


	3. Scarefloor Dilemma

**A/N:** Yay! Chapter three!! (does snoopy dance) Even _I'M _anxious to see where I'll take this story, I dunno...heh heh. All I can tell you now is that it's going to get really good...(clasps hands together schemingly) This is a cool chappy because this is the chapter with her first REAL interaction with Randall, not the crappy one I tried to satisfy you with in the last chapter...heh heh... Please review!!

Happy Halloween! (i'm being a punky witch thingy for Halloween...my dad's friend is having a party on Friday of all days, so on the actual night of Halloween, I'll just be handing out candy, cuz I don't feel like trick-or treating this year. The candy is always stale, (what cheapscapes) and I never have anyone to go with...tear. But why go out and get stale candy in freezing cold weather when you can stay home and watch MONSTERS INC OVER AND OVER AND OVER?!?!?!

Anyway...please enjoy! I look forward to your reviews!!

* * *

_"We got Scarers comin' out!"_

Xathia's stomach leaped. She remembered Mike's words, and slithered over to the door and stood quietly by the side. She looked over at Mike, who smiled and gave her a thumbs up. She smiled back, and looked over towards the Scare Floor entrance. Through the door came Sulley, with Randall and other monsters behind them. She was in absolute awe. She had admired these monsters and their fantastic jobs since she was a little girl, and now she was finally getting to see them in action! Their entrance seemed to take an eternity, and only a few moments at the same time. Randall slithered over to the desk opposite the door, and Xathia followed him.

"Here," he said, pulling out a sort of projecter. "These are different backgrounds. Pull them down as soon as I've blended in with them. It's for practice." Xathia nodded and pulled down the first canvas; a blue sky with white clouds. Randall tensed, and his purple scales dissapeared into the blue and white canvas. Xathia couldn't help shuddering. She pulled down the next, a brick wall...they continued this for about a minute before Randall, still invisible, grabbed her shoulders from behind and pulled her close to him. She let out a squeal.

"Got ya," he hissed quietly in her ear, before reappearing. She just glared at him through her green eyes, but Randall was already readying himself in front of the door. She looked up at a small _bleep _sound. The computers had booted up, showing the Scream units each Scarer had received. She searched for Randall's face, and was pleasantly suprised to see that he was second-best; right under Sulley.

"You're second place?" she asked him incredulously.

"Relax, it's not like I'm first," he growled.

"Well, yeah...but _second? _That's pretty good--"

"But I'm not _first!" _he snarled, his eyes crackling with a firey anger that Xathia had not seen him in him before. "That's the main goal here!"

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't know--"

"Yeah, well you need to start knowing!" he snapped. "Or you're going to screw up!" She was about to shoot back an angry retort telling him that she was new, and was still learning, but she was silenced by the voice of the Scare Floor manager.

"And we're on in 7, 6, 5, 4--"

She hurried over to the door, grasping the brass door knob, waiting for a signal. This was it. This is where she would prove not only to Randall and Mr. Waternoose, but to herself, that she was fully capable of being somebody. That she would make an excellent assistant, and was fair game for someday becoming a real Scarer. _But that's a long time from now, _she thought to herself. _Focus on the present. _

"3, 2..." he mouthed "1" and pointed a signal to start scaring, as a lound alarm went off. She twisted the doorknob and swung open the door, as Randall, quick as lightning, slithered up the door, and slipped inside. There was a moment's pause before she heard a shrill scream from inside, and her face brightened as the red bar in the Scream canister filled. She replaced it with an empty canister as Randall slipped back out and stared at the screen. It went up a few units, but nothing too impressive. Randall clenched his fists, and Xathia, sensing his bad mood, sent away the door and brought in a new one.

"Sometime during this century would be highly appreciated," drawled Randall sarcastically. Xathia rolled her eyes.

"It's coming, Randall," she said. Randall groaned and folded his arms as the door slid into the station.

"_Thank _you!" he snapped, slamming the door open.

"Way to be subtle, Randall," she hissed.

"Oh, shut it," he muttered, shutting the door behind him. She chuckled, watching the Scream canister fill up. With Randall's touchy personality, this day would be _very _interesting.

* * *

_REEE!!! _

Xathia looked over at the clock on the wall. Twelve o' clock. _Lunch already? _she thought. She sighed as she pressed a button, sending away the door.

"Hey," said Randall. "I saw you talking to Wazowski and Sullivan earlier."

"Yes. They're really quite nice," said Xathia, watching the door slide away and out of sight. "You know them?"

"I don't want you hanging around them," he said quietly, disregarding her question.

"Why not?" she asked, an incredulous smile tickling the corners of her mouth.

"Because they're competition!" he growled. "And you're my assistant!"

"I am fully capable of making my own desicions, thank you," she said cooly. Randall narrowed his eyes.

"They're not trustworthy!" he cried.

"Well you're so busy sniping at each other like dogs that you never see the real monster!" she cried, her hands on her hips. Randall groaned.

"Just follow directions, and don't stick your nose where you shouldn't," he growled.

Xathia couldn't belive how Randall found it okay to boss her around. While she found this advice theoretically useful, in the context of such a disagreement, she found it appalling.

"I'll keep that in mind," she managed to say without too much frustration in her words, leaving the paperwork on the desk until after lunch. "So where do you eat lunch?" Randall gave a derisive laugh as they both headed out the Scare Floor.

"You mean where do _you _eat?" he asked.

"Well," Xathia said uncomfortably. "I guess..."

"There's a cafeteria just around the corner. The food's crap, but you should probably just stay here on your first day." Xathia hated cafeteria mystery meat, but she had to admit that Randall was right. Leaving the building for lunch would just confuse her, and she needed to get used to the building.

"Where do you eat?"

"Oh, you know...out," he replied simply.

"Oh, really?" she asked. "Out? Where's that?"

"Ha. Ha. Ha," he sneered. "Wherever I feel like it, okay?"

"Alright, whatever you say."

"I'll see you around 12:30, okay?"

Xathia gave him a nod, and just as she turned the corner, she whacked right into Sulley. She toppled to the floor with an "Oof!"

"Xathia!" cried Sulley, pulling her up. "How are you?"

"O-oh, I'm, uh...I'm, I'm good," she said, a bit flustered.

"Sullivan!" snapped Randall, who had stuck around long enough to observe the collision. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, Randall, chill. He was just saying hi," said Xathia, exasperated. "I was just going to lunch at the cafeteria," she continued, turning back to Sulley. He grimaced.

"Mike and I are heading off to lunch right now. You can come with us if you--" began Sulley, but Randall grabbed Xathia's arm tightly.

"Xathia and I are going out to our OWN lunch, Sullivan, so go and join that little green butter-ball of yours and leave us alone," snapped Randall, dragging Xathia away.

"Hey!" Xathia cried. "What the--" Randall could drag fast. He dragged her around the corner and slammed her against the wall.

"Ow!" she cried, pushing his hands away from her. "What the heck is your problem, Boggs?!" she screeched.

"Don't you _get it_ by now??" he hissed. "They. Are. COMPETITION. How am I supposed to know that they won't try and manipulate us somehow through you?"

"Oh, give me a break," sighed Xathia. "Is that what this is all about? Good god, Randall, get a life. Sulley wouldn't do anything like that."

"Well, I wouldn't put it past him," said Randall. "But Wazowski would do anything to break that scare record in a heartbeat."

"Scare record?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sullivan is close to breaking an all-time scare record, and as second place, I'm not too far behind him. I would NEVER cheat, but Wazowski..."

"You've got to be kidding me, Randall. This is ridiculous, and I'm not going to listen to this crap, when I have better things to do," she snarled, walking away. He grabbed her arm and swung her back around to face him.

"Where?" he snapped. She was so angry with him, she felt like slapping him. What buisness was it of his where she was going?

"Oh, you know," she said casually, her eyes smoldering, tearing her arm from his grasp.

"_Out."_

She threw him a final death glare, before turning on her heel and stalking away. _Unbelievable, _she thought. _He's got some nerve..._

She turned the corner to the cafeteria and sat down on one of the benches. She wasn't hungry anymore, but she got up and snatched a bottle of water from the counter, taking a long swig. She wished she had somebody to talk to around here. She realized that she had Mike and Sulley to talk to, but they weren't here right now, and Randall treated her more like a nuisance than a friend. _Stop feeling sorry for yourself...stop feeling sorry for yourself! _she screamed silently to herself. _This isn't like back at the orphanage..._

**FLASHBACK**

_Hello...hello...hello? Hello?!_

_"_Wake up!"

Xathia's eyes fluttered open. The darkness blanketing her eyes melted away, revealing a small blue monster with a large tentacle on her head and grey, blinking eyes. Xathia jumped up frantically, slithering up onto the wall.

"Who are you?!" she cried.

"Hey, hey, hey, calm down!" said the monster calmly. "I saw those bullies jump you...just _come down..."_

"You think I was born yesterday?" shrieked Xathia. "Get the heck away from me!"

"I'm not one of them!" cried the monster. "My name's Sue..." she looked around nervously. "Now come down, before anyone sees me helping you!" Xathia gave a scornful laugh.

"You're just like the others! Too scared to be seen with me?" she asked in an innocent voice.

"N-no, just...god, just COME DOWN!" hissed Sue angrily.

"Heck no, you brainless idiot! I'm not stupid!" she laughed. "Get out of here!" Sue glared at her.

"You know, it wouldn't hurt for you to be polite to me. I'm only trying to help." Xathia had never felt so infuriated. How could this stupid idiot be so dense?

"First of all, I owe aboslutely NO ONE at this stupid school ANYTHING. When I first came to this school, I was nice to everyone! But no one returned any of my kindness, so now that I'm smarter, I know that I don't need to waste my breath! And you're not trying to help me. If you were truly trying to help me, then you wouldn't be afraid to be seen with me! Now get out of my sight before--"

"Miss Swamps!" shrieked a shrill voice. "Get down from there immediately!"

Xathia looked down to see Mrs. Evergreen, the principal of the school down on the floor. She was holding a detention slip and tapping her foot.

"I know, Mrs. Evergreen!" cried Sue, fake tears forming in her malicious grey eyes. "I asked her to come down...b-but...she just won't listen!!"

"I know, sweetie, it's going to be okay."

Xathia glared at Sue.

"Miss Swamps, if you don't come down right this instant, your punishment will be worse than it already is!" cried Mrs. Evergreen. Xathia sighed, but gave in. There was no use in staying up there. She had to come down eventually anyway.

"Now _what _exactly were you doing on the walls of my school?" asked Mrs. Evergreen.

"This is stupid!" cried Xathia. "I just--"

"We do not use such course words as 'stupid' in my school!" shrieked Mrs. Evergreen.

"Alright, _fine,"_ snapped Xathia, exasperated. "This is _ridiculous. _I get beat up by three bullies and I get blamed for it?!"

"Well, Miss Swamps, if you had just come to me after the disagreement you had with said bullies, the problem would be taken care of immediately. Instead you decided to act out! The road goes both ways, my dear."

"No it doesn't!" shrieked Xathia.

"You have a week's detention, Miss Swamps! Do not dig yourself a bigger hole!" She stuffed the detention slips into Xathia's hand, and placed her arm around Sue, coaxing her the other way.

Xathia clenched her fists and shook with anger.

_They're all the same..._

* * *

**A/N:** Did you like it? (in case you didn't know, the end of this chapter signaled the end of the flashback as well, FYI) Well, Happy Halloween! I was frantically trying to get this up for you as a little Halloween present...I dunno if it fully lives up to expectations...heh heh, please review!! Oh, by the way, I'm heading off to Disneyland today! Gonna buy me some MI merchandise!!! YIPEE!!!!!!!!! 


	4. Hidden City Cafe, Please

**A/N:** I don't have much to say this time, except that I had a great time at Disneyland. I visited California Adventure for the first time, which was very cool. I rode Monsters, Inc twice, that is the CUTEST ride ever...and I rode Tower of Terror, which scared the crap out of me.

Anyway, please enjoy Chapter 4! I started it the morning after Disneyland, so...yah, I don't know what that matters, but oh well...DEAL WITH IT...

This chapter is kind of short, but I was originally going to place what is not Chapter 5 onto this chapter, but it would be rather long...So the 5th chapter will be up shortly, I promise, I've already written some of it. ENJOY!

* * *

_REEE!!!_

Xathia looked up at the clock on the cafeteria wall. 12:30. Lunch was over...not that she'd actually had any. She threw the empty bottle away, shaking the depressing thoughts from her head, and slithered out of the cafeteria and down towards the Scarefloor. _(oh, by the way, I recently realized Scarefloor is one word). _

As she turned the corner, she saw Randall returning from lunch. She found, surprisingly, that she was no longer as furious with him as she'd been. In fact, she couldn't realize why she had been so angry with him in the first place. Randall wanted to be top Scarer...second wasn't good enough for him. _Maybe that's just the kind of monster he is, _thought Xathia. _I should probably go apologize...just make amends..._

She scurried over to him, and as he spotted her, he stopped.

"Randall?" she said gently.

"Yea?" he asked, somewhat defensively, putting his fists on his hips. "What?"  
"Look," sighed Xathia. "I'm sorry I got so mad at you...I was just frustrated, that's all. I just..." she paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully. She didn't want to anger him. "I just don't think it's really your place to choose my friends for me, that's all. But I don't want to be fighting with you."

Randall's face softened. Xathia's stomach unclenched in a breath of relief. He narrowed his eyes.

"I wasn't choosing your friends," he said quietly. "But it's weird that you wanted to make friends with them, because they're--"

"--competition, I know," cut in Xathia, the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile. "I needed some friends, is all. You weren't acting like you wanted to befriend me. I thought we could be really good friends because...well...you know...you're...like me..."

All of a sudden, without warning, Randall's face changed into a furious gaze. He looked positively livid.

"Just because you...you look like me doesn't mean you're my equal!" snapped Randall. "I'm the Scarer, and you're the assistant!"

"W-what?" queried Xathia, taken aback at his sudden anger.

"You heard me! You're not like me and you never will be!" he growled.

"Well, excuse me! I was just trying to be nice!" cried Xathia, her temper rising. "It's called being civilized!"

"No, it's called GETTING ON MY NERVES!" he snarled. "You think you can just come in here and--"

"You don't know _ANYTHING _about me!" she shouted. "You don't know what it's taken me to get here!"

"Wow, a couple hours of training. I'm soo impressed," Randall drawled, cruel sarcasm dripping from every word.

"For your information, _Randall," _she cried. "It took 50 hours of training, and I've never worked harder in my--_urg_! I'm not talking about the stupid training!" she shouted. "I'm talking about up until then! You have no idea what I've been through! I was an _orphan_!" Randall's face fell. There was dead silence.

"What are you gawking at?" she hissed, so furious she could barely stand it.

"An orphan?" was all he could barely squeak out.

"Yeah," she said defensively. "What's it to you?" He gulped.

"I-I was too."

Xathia's swallow got caught in her throat, and she made a little gagging noise. Her hands began to sweat.

"W--what?" she whispered. "You never--"

"Well, why would I?" he said, still whispering. "I had no reason to. I've never told anyone..." Xathia couldn't think of anything to say. Randall? An orphan? _I thought we were similar in appearance...but we're both orphans, too?_

"I'm sorry," muttered Randall in a raspy voice. He slithered away quickly.

"W-wait a minute! Come back!" called Xathia. Randall turned around, his face contorted with frustration.

"_Later...!" _he hissed. Xathia understood immediately. This was not the time or place. They both had work to do.

--------------------------------

Xathia's stomach squirmed the minute the buzzer sounded at 5:00 signaling the end of the day. She would have to face Randall sometime. Even though she desperately wanted to talk to him...to know more about him...she was dreading it. But as she placed the final scare reports on her desk, she realized that her work wasn't done yet. Randall was done Scaring, but Xathia still had to file her paperwork, along with all the other assistants. She saw Mike walking up next to her, holding one last file in his hand. She turned to look at him.

"Yes?" she asked politely.

"Oh, I was just gonna tell ya about the Scare forms," he said, joining her at the desk. He opened the file. "The pink copies go to Accounting, the fuchsia ones go to Purchasing, and the goldenrod ones go to Roz. Once you have that filed, give her the folders back, and she'll replace them with new forms.

"Okay," said Xathia, extremely grateful for the advice, just then realizing that she didn't know where to file the forms. "Thanks a lot." Mike gave a little nod, then returned to his desk. She opened up the first file, and was just about to rip out the pink form, when Randall appeared suddenly in front of her. She jumped a step back.

"Geez, Randall," she whispered fiercely. "There's got to be a less...sudden way to get my attention."

"Sorry," he said. "Look, if you want to--"

"I'm busy right now, Randall, I'll catch up to you later, okay?" she cut in, determined not to bring up the subject a moment sooner than she had to.

"Err...alright," he said. "I get it. Look, I have some business to attend to here, but I'll be at the Hidden City Cafe around 6, if you want to join me."

"That sounds lovely," said Xathia, not really understanding what she was saying. "I'll be there." Randall gave a nod, then with a scaly crackling sound, disappeared into nothing. Xathia shuddered. Why couldn't she have just kept her big mouth shut about being an orphan? She heard that little voice in the back of her head speaking to her.

_He's in the same situation, isn't he?_

Well, yes...but why does he have to bug me so incessantly about it?

_He's not bugging you. You're alike. Maybe he's finally found someone to share with._

Well...I don't want to share!

_But you need to. _

Why?!

_If you're ever going to start a new life...continue on with your "new beginning", you need to let go of your old feelings...your old grudges._

But...

_You know it's true._

She pictured Randall in her mind...and realized with an odd jolt, a bit unexpectedly, that she trusted Randall. In fact, she trusted him even more than she trusted Sulley or even Mike, who had already helped her so much. Was it because he was a lizard-monster? _No, _thought Xathia. Because he's an orphan? _No, that can't be it. I don't know anything about him concerning that..._Then, she considered it for a moment. There was no particular physical reason. It was all in her head. It was just a feeling...an odd sense that she knew she could trust.

She continued on her with her work with a new speed and enthusiasm. She would meet Randall at the Hidden City Cafe. She would let go of her old feelings...and she would prove to herself that she could let go.

--------------------------------

As she placed the last fuchsia copy into the "Scared" file, and gathered up the pile of goldenrod copies to give to Roz, she saw Mike finishing up as well.

"Where are you going after this?" she asked, over the desk wall.

"I dunno," she heard him say. "Probably just go home...hang out. Sulley and I might go out for dinner or something. But it's been a long day."

"You have no idea," she agreed with a chuckle. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then, eh?" she promised, heading for the exit.

"You bet," said Mike. "G'night."

"Night!"

She hurried out the exit, and up to Roz's desk, handing her the forms.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said, turning away.

"Hey, wait a second!" growled Roz. "How did you know I needed the goldenrod?"

"Mike told me," she replied.

"Wazowski?" she asked incredulously, her beady eyes widening.

"Yes," Xathia hesitantly.

"Interesting..."

Xathia gave an odd little nod and scurried down the hall and into the lobby, where she waved a good night to Celia Mae, the secretary, and slithered out the door.

The night air was pleasantly cool, and the clouds in the sky glowed orange against the bright lights of Monstropolis. She waved over a taxi and got in quickly.

"Hidden City Cafe, please," she said.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope you liked it...I don't expect many reviews from this chapter...the next one is the big one. 


	5. So the truth comes out, doesnt it?

**A/N:** OMG!!! I have had an epiphany!!! THE STORYLINE HAS CHANGED!!!! I was writing this chapter, and I had an _epiphany_. Xathia and Randall's future together has changed...I'll just say that...if you're anything like me, you'll be EXTREMELY surprised as well...  
Anyway...Hey everybody...I know and admit that my last chapter was LAME and did not meet the expectations you were all waiting for, but it was just a lead-up to this chapter. I hope you enjoy it.  
Also, (in response to a review) Xathia's last name _is _very much like Randall's last name, but you'll soon find out why. (winkwink)  
_ Also (again) this chapter is dedicated to Joe Ranft, who died in a 2005 car accident. There is no particular reason for choosing this chapter, but I just finished watching Cars, and it said that he died...I was in shock..it's so sad!!! He was Wheezy in Toy Story 2, Heimlich in A Bug's Life and Red in Cars...Anyway, he was a great animator at Pixar, and I'm so sad he died!!!_

* * *

The taxi pulled up just as a light rain began to fall. She handed the driver some folded bills and hurried through the door of the cafe. The delicious smells of freshly baked muffins and hot drinks engulfed her in warmth. She shivered as the last remnants of the cold slipped through her scales and sizzled away. She spotted Randall sitting in the corner on a chair, waiting patiently. An identical chair sat opposite him, with her name on it. She took a deep breath and walked over to the chair, taking a seat slowly. _This is it, _she thought. 

"Hey," she said quietly.

"Hi."

She had no idea what to say, so she muttered the only thing she could think of.

"Y-you want to get something to...uh...to drink?"

"Yeah," he said, getting up quickly. "What do you want?"

"Sludge mocha chino would be nice, thank you," she decided quickly. Randall's absence would give her time to think...to gather her thoughts. Get her bearings. As he slithered away, she could sense his nervousness. Maybe this whole idea was stupid...too awkward for both of them. Maybe some things were just better left unsaid...What would Randall tell her? More importantly, what would she tell him? And how much? She didn't want to tell to much. Overwhelming him might freak him out...but if she didn't tell enough, he might think she didn't trust him, which she certainly did!

As Randall returned far too quickly with the drinks, and set them down on the table, Xathia began to fidget. Xathia couldn't figure out what to say, so she just said the first thing that came to mind.

"Why don't you go first?" she suggested. Randall gave the tiniest of smiles, and adjusted in his seat. He looked down at the ground, deep in thought.

"I didn't have any friends," he began. Xathia sat up slowly.

"Me neither," she said, looking off into space, looking at the wall, but not really seeing it.

"No one ever talked to me, and I was incessantly bullied," he continued. "Were you an only child?"

"Yes," said Xathia. "You?" Randall gave a soft chuckle that never left his mouth.

"I guess," he said. "The headmistress said I had a younger sister who was adopted, but I don't really believe her..."

"Why not?" asked Xathia, her stomach beginning to churn...when she was very little she had been adopted by foster parents. They had seemed nice, but only a few months after adopting her, they left her in a completely different orphanage. Meanwhile, Xathia's barely-remembered brother had been left at the orphanage.

"I don't know. I didn't trust her...maybe that was it. She said that she would come to get me one day...but maybe I just couldn't accept that there was someone out there who might care for me. She could have at least written."

"Well, maybe her foster parents wouldn't let her," suggested Xathia tentatively. "You never know. Some foster parents don't want their kids to have any communication with their real parents, if they're still alive, or siblings."

"Yeah, well..."

"And why would the headmistress lie to you? There wouldn't be any point."

"Oh, yes there would," he said bitterly. She looked at him curiously, and he snorted.

"I was depressed," he explained, speaking as though he was telling her what he had for dinner the other night.

"You were?" breathed Xathia. "Why?"

"Why do you think?" he snapped, his eyes flaring. "I had no friends, no one ever talked to me. No one even bothered worrying about little, ugly, _stupid _Randall Boggs."

"That's horrible!" cried Xathia. "She wouldn't seriously _lie _to you just so you...I mean, that's a serious thing to--"

"She'd do anything to keep me from depression. I had a small appetite, and if I fell seriously ill, it'd be a black mark on the orphanage's reputation. She was a selfish headmistress from the beginning. She'd force-feed me before she'd make a doctor's appointment."

"That's sick," spat Xathia. "That's really low..."

"It was life," said Randall simply. "You have no idea." His tone was not scornful, or disdainful, just sad. Pure sadness. He was happy that she had not had to suffer what he had. But she had. She gave a small laugh.

"Oh yes, I do," she said, sadly. "You think I don't know what leaving behind a sibling is like?" He looked up at her, shocked.

"I thought you said you were an only child..."

"Yeah, that's what I've told everybody. Because I barely remember...I'm not even sure if..." she trailed off sadly. "I don't know," she muttered.

"You can tell me," said Randall quietly. "You can trust me." She took a deep breath.

"I was very little when I was adopted by foster parents," she began hesitantly. "I think I left behind a brother, but I can't be sure. Maybe he wasn't my brother..."

"What do you mean?" he queried.

"Well, I figured that I would have been a lot lonelier, and I would have remembered being lonely, if I didn't have anyone...maybe he was just a friend...well, anyway, I left him at the orphanage when I left."

There was a short pause before Randall said, "What happened after that?"

"They only kept me for a few months before realizing that I was nothing special. I wasn't talented, or passionate about anything."

"But...you could have only been 2 or 3..." he began.

"Exactly. They were stupid, idiotic, selfish people who couldn't handle the responsibilities of a child. They gave me back to a different orphanage, a long way away from my brother." She sighed, and a lump formed in her throat.

"I wasn't ever loved," she whispered in a raspy voice. "by anyone."

"Well, it's not like that anymore," said Randall quietly. "You're at a place where people will appreciate you. Where people look up to you."

Xathia looked up at him and smiled.

"Thanks," she muttered. "I don't know if I'll ever be as good as you."

"I'm not that good," he said quietly.

"Come off it," said Xathia with a chuckle. "You're a great Scarer, and you know it. You just have to start looking at things and people differently."

He looked up at her with a confused expression on his face.

"People?" he said with a little chuckle.

"Well, yeah," she said. "Like Sullivan, and Mike, and..." She cut off at the look on Randall's face. He had never looked at her like that before. The expression made her draw back. What was the look? Surprise? No, it was more extreme than that. Shock, maybe...fear as well.

"W-what?" she queried. His jaw tensed like he was going to say something, then he stopped.

"I...I have to go," he said, getting up quickly.

"Why?" asked Xathia, getting up halfway.

"No reason," he said. She had expected some nasty comment about how it was none of her business where he was going, but he seemed in too much of a rush to bother with sarcasm, which was very unusual for Randall, who always seemed to have the time for a rude comment.

"B-but--"

"I'll see you tomorrow," he finished, slithering out the door at lightning speed. Xathia sat back in her chair, and unclenched her muscles. Randall's sudden departure had unnerved her. What thought had sparked in his mind? What memories, perhaps, had been remembered as he had looked at her? Whatever the case, she was determined to find out why. She got up, and slithered out the door, in hot pursuit of Randall.

Rain was still falling, only heavier this time. She spotted Randall getting into a taxi, and driving down the road, towards Monsters, Inc. She looked around frantically, till she spotted another taxi driving by. She waved her arms, and it drove to a gloomy stop at the curb. She jumped inside.

"Follow that cab over there," she said, pointing to Randall's cab. The driver nodded and hit the gas. The wheels screamed and turned in place before they sped off.

--------------------------------

Xathia watched as Randall slipped out of the cab and slithered through the doors of the building. She scratched the back of the seat in front of her anxiously, and whipped open the door seconds before they had even stopped. She jumped the curb steps two at a time and pulled open the doors of MI. As she entered the lobby, she saw Randall's tail whipping out of sight around the corner towards Scarefloor F. She slithered after him, light on her feet, making as little noise as possible.

She was at the final corner to the Scarefloor. She clutched the corner of the wall with her hands and peered around the corner. She stopped herself just in time to stop herself from gasping. Randall, though facing the opposite direction, was standing on the other side of the wall. She pulled back, and flattened herself against the wall. She held her breath, and waited for any sign from Randall of what had scared him. She could hear his raspy, nervous breathing from only a few inches away.

"No...no...no, no, no," he muttered to himself. "No, she can't be...it's just...coincidence..." Xathia could not make heads nor tails of what he was saying. She couldn't be what? In a sudden surge of energy, she turned the corner and tapped his shoulder. He jumped a foot in the air, yelping in fear. He whipped around, his eyes blazing with fire, even after he recognized her.

"What are you doing here?!" he cried, on the verge of hysteria. "You followed me, didn't you?!"

"Well, of course I did!" she cried defensively. "You just left without so much as an explanation as to why--"

"I don't have to share everything with you!" he hissed angrily. "I don't need to--"

"Well you should if you have to interrupt an important discussion!" she snapped, her hands on her hips. "Now tell me what your problem is!"

He made to reply, but then just gave a frustrated sigh, and covered his eyes with his hand.

"You...you don't see it?" he whispered in a tone much higher than he had adopted before.

"See what?" she asked back quietly.

"It!" he whispered fiercely, almost desperately. "You don't see how...you...you and me...we..."

"Please stop stuttering and tell me the truth!" she cried, a lump forming in her throat for reasons she couldn't explain.

"Don't you get it?" cried Randall, his eyes flaring. Xathia was on the verge of tears.

"No! No, Randall, I--"

"WE'RE BROTHER AND SISTER!!"

Xathia froze. It was impossible...Randall? Her brother? There was just no way...

"What are you...talking about..."

"Don't you see it? You left behind a brother, I was left behind by a sister..."

"That could very well be a coincidence," she breathed. "You don't know..."

"And on top of that," cried Randall, somewhat hysterically. "We both have emerald eyes and we look exactly alike! You look me in the eye and tell me it's not possible. Tell me there is no way in heaven or hell that we could be related!"

"I..." Xathia stuttered, flustered. She felt out of breath...she struggled for any intake of oxygen.

"I...I suppose it's _possible_," she began quietly. "But, how could we..."

"I don't know," said Randall. "If I did, I would be breaking it to you a lot gentler than I am now, believe you me. But this is coming as just a shock to me as it is to you..." He took her hand in his, and a gentle, comforting warmth spread through Xathia's scales.

"But it we _are _brother and sister," he began slowly. "It means we're family, and we're no longer alone." Xathia felt overcome with a melancholy happiness, and flung her arms around Randall.

There was dead silence. All words that Xathia could manage to choke out desperately were said and done, and she was left with nothing to say. Randall was just as thunderstruck. So the two reptilian monsters sat there, next to the Scarefloor at Monsters, Inc in each other's arms, welcoming their new discovery hesitantly, but confidently.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, there you have it, folks. The big shocker of this story! Be prepared for even bigger discoveries in the near future of happiness, sadness, betrayal, and lies...There are some unknown secrets about Randall's goings-on at Monsters, Inc...be prepared, my friends...oh, yes, be prepared...  



	6. Mary

**A/N:** Omg, I am SOOO sorry that I haven't updated sooner...it's just I was working on SOO many House stories, and my Incredibles oneshot...oh never mind. JUST READ.

* * *

The rain had passed, slowly but surely, over Monstropolis, and the blue sky and golden sun that greeted the monsters the next morning had never been brighter. They were all very happy to get out of bed and greet the day confidently. 

But not Xathia.

She would have thought, as she had fallen asleep the night before, that she would be more than happy to get back to work at Monsters, Inc, especially with the knowledge of Randall being her long-lost brother. But the thought of seeing Randall made her stomach squirm. When they were just friends, if that, as Scarer and assistant, it was so much easier to just do her job and enjoy it for what it was. But now that they were _brother and sister _as Scarer and assistant, it would be awkward. What would Waternoose say when he found out? Would they still work together?

But, being new, punctuality every day for the next few months would be crucial to getting on Waternoose's good side, and her bad mood would not suffice as an excuse. So she hesitantly got out of bed, and yawned, rubbing her eyes furiously. Her sleep had been taunted relentlessly with dreams. Flashbacks, mostly, but they were always peppered with visions of Randall...she had barely slept a wink. When a thin sheet of sleep finally reached her, it was 4:00 in the morning, and she only had about three hours of sleep.

As she headed down the hall toward the kitchen, she noticed how warm it was inside. The curtains were thrust apart from the window, letting golden sunlight spill over the window sill and onto her carpet, warming the entire room. Though this may have pleased her the morning before, it only made her grumpier. She stomped over and yanked the curtains across the window, muttering grouchily under her breath.

She didn't have time for breakfast; she would grab some coffee and maybe a doughnut at work if she had time. But she did not want to enter the building along with the usual morning rush. Getting there on time and just getting her paperwork would avoid any pestering questions about her taciturn face and grumpy mood. She knew she couldn't avoid it after work started, but maybe she'd feel better by then.

She waved over a cab monotonously and barely noticed climbing inside. As they drove off down the road, the driver began to drum his fingers on the wheel rythmically, which was becoming more annoying every second.

"Please stop!" Xathia practically screeched. But he didn't listen, and kept drumming away.

"Hello?!" she shouted. He reached up and pulled off a pair of headphones that Xathia hadn't seen.

"What?" he snapped, agitated.

"Stop. That," she growled.

"What? Listenin' to music?"

"No, that...drumming thing you're doing with your fingers on the wheel!" she hissed. But it didn't matter. They were at work.

"Already?" she whispered, out loud.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Nothing."

She stepped out cautiously and had to practically drag her feet out from under her up the stairs and to the front door. She peered inside, and, seeing that no one was there, slipped inside and headed for the locker rooms.

Once there, she opened up her locker and pulled out her hardhat and slammed the door shut again.

"Hello?" a small voice called from the other side of the row. Xathia paused, muscles clenched.

"Yes?" she called back tentatively.

"Oh, geez...I didn't know anyone would be here this early...I'm always the first one here. Bad morning?" the voice called knowingly. Xathia was slightly annoyed at how the monster would assume her bad mood so quickly, then admitted grudgingly that she WAS in a bad mood.

"Yeah," she grumbled hesitantly. "What's it to you?"

"Don't take that tone with me," the voice snapped back with more authority than Xathia had expected. "I've had my fair share of bad mornings, and I can assure you that this won't be the last of yours. I expect to be treated kindly!"

There was a ringing silence.

"Sorry," Xathia grumbled.

"Well, me too," sighed the voice. "I just don't take crap from anybody who's having a 'bad morning' if you will."

"Well don't let me intrude on your perfect morning," growled Xathia.

"Hey, what did I just say?!"

"I don't give a crap! You're not my mom!"

"No, but I'm your co-worker, and I deserve--"

"You deserve NOTHING."

Xathia stomped the other direction and out the back door. She slammed the door shut and pressed her back against it. She breathed a sigh of relief. So much for some peace and quiet. But she turned to look at the door, and figured she should go an apologize. Though the voice did seem a bit bossy, she was right. Xathia sighed and pulled open the door.

"Come to apologize?" called the voice. Xathia was disgusted. _Geez, have some humility! _her head was screaming.

"No!" snapped Xathia, slamming the door shut again and heading the other direction, not looking back.

--------------------------------

Xathia shivered as the hot drink poured down her throat.

She had finally reached the cafeteria and grabbed an early morning mug of coffee. She was glad that she had gotten away from the locker rooms, and now that she was alone, she had time alone with herself.

Who would she tell first? _Probably Mike or Sulley..._she thought. _Mike seems like the kind of person to squeal...but I know him a little bit better than Sulley...how bout I just not tell anyone? That seems like such a simple thing..._

She was very annoyed when a hot pink monster slid into the room. She had fangs that didn't even look remotely sharp, with claws and no feet...just a slug like tail that she slid around on. She squelched over to the cashier and purchased a doughnut...powdered with green goo. She came down to sit next to Xathia, and her expression was positively elated.

"Hi, my name's Mary. What's yours?" she asked, holding out her hand. Xathia gave her a scrutinizing look and shook her hand tentatively.

"Oh my gosh, so are you _new_?" asked Mary, clasping her hands together in front of her, preparing herself for a nice long monolouge, like Xathia's words were going to be some great story.

"Err...yeah," she said, taking another sip. Mary's perky attitude was annoying. Couldn't she just leave her be?

"That is so _cool_! I can teach you everything. _Everything!" _Xathia had to refrain from wincing.

"Oh, no...I'm fine thanks. I've got plenty of other friends and I know my way around pretty well by now," she fibbed.

"Oh, okay!" said Mary happily. "So--"

"You know, I'm not really in a 'talky' mood right now, sorry," said Xathia.

"Oh my gosh, I _totally _understand," said Mary quickly, giving a giggle that was a little too happy. There was a 10-second silence. Xathia knew exactly because she was couting. Oh yes, counting every single miserable second she had to sit there with this valley-girl excuse for a monster.

"Ugh, I just got back from the locker room. There was this real piece of work in there who thought she was the only one who had ever had a bad day..."

"That was me," snapped Xathia. Mary looked up.

"Oh..." she looked thoroughly embarrassed. "I think I'll...just...go...um...bye..." She scurried out the door of the cafeteria. Following Mary with her eyes out of the cafeteria led her eyes to wander over the clock, which had just clicked 8:15.

Time for monsters to start coming in.

She took a deep breath.

She was ready.

Or so she thought.

* * *

**A/N:** Wow. I just reread that chapter and that had absolutely no point at all. I mean really. Sorry for that crappy excuse. I'll write something better I swear...heh heh

(dies)


End file.
